Tackless display holder



Feb. 8, 1949'.

T. R. THOMAS TACKLESS DISPLAY HOLISER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1946,

Feb. 8, 1949. T. R. THOMAS 'I'AQKLESS DISPLAY HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, l946 Patented Feb. 8, 1949 2,461,400 7 TACKLESS DISPLAY HOLDER Theodore Roosevelt Thomas, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Application April 9, 1946, Serial No. 660,750

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in a tackless display holder and more particularly to improvements in my present patent, Number 2,125,208, of July 26, 1938, for a Tackless display holder.

It is an object of my invention to provide a tackless display holder for displaying posters or advertising matter by clamping the poster onto the holder of a spring hinge controlled peripheral border or molding of the display holder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tackless display holder for clamping a poster therein, in which the clamping members provide the border or molding of the holder, and the clampings are so formed that a flat spring fixed to the holder, engaging over part of the clamping members, is adapted to urge the clamping members to clamping position in one position thereof, and. to open position in other positions.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a tackless display holder of the type to be herein described, which is composed of very few moving parts, and by reason of the simplicity of construction, provides a very efficient display holder which may be produced and manufactured very economically.

A further object of this invention is to provide tackless display holders to be used on commercial motor trucks, at gasoline service stations, railroad stations, bus terminals, theatre lobbies, airport terminals or any other place having use for a display board to be mounted on any type of display stand designed.

It is understood that this display holder may be manufactured in either single or double face boards, wherever the need may be.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the respective views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a display holder constructed according to an embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view showing the clamping members in the opened position,

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure;

4, with the clamping members in place.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates generally a tackless display holder constructed according to an'embodiment of my invention. The holder it] comprises a rectangular frame having a flat backing member ll made of metal or other suitable material, and having a forwardly extending flanged periphery l2 about all four sides thereof. a Pairs of clamping members H! are spring hingedly carried by the frame inwardly of the peripheral flanges I2, and are so formed as to clamp a poster l5 between the members It and .the for ward side of the frame.

The clamping members I 4 are formed of elongated sheet metal strips or any other suitable material, formed at the outer edges thereof with a rolled head i6, and the center or body portion I1 has a slight contour to. add to the appearance of the holder and to cover the parts enclosed below the clamping members M. The inner edges of the clamping members M are reverted to form a smooth inner edge l8 and are joggled to form a recess l9 along the rear side of the members It to provide a space for holding a, transparent cover over the poster Hi When desired, and to provide a finger grip for raising the front edge of the clamping members l4 when it is desired to remove or insert a poster as [5.

The ends of the members M are cut at an angle to provide for the folding of adjacent members l4 without overlapping each other.

Fixed to the forward side of the backing member I i are short elongated flat springs 20, which may be secured thereto by rivets 2| or other suitable fastening means at one end thereof. The other end of each of the springs 20 is adapted to bear against the forward side of the bead iii of the clamping members M to secure the members l4 onto the frame. The springs 20 and the beads 16 form the spring hinged connection of the clamps M to the frame; 7

It will be seen that by this arrangement the springs 20 urge the members [4 to clamping position when the members it are less than 45 degrees from the back member I i and when the members M are moved to a position over 45 degrees from the back ii the springs 20 urge the members M to the outer or open position. This phenomenon is quite a natural consequence of this type of construction for it is seen that the members I4 do not pivot directly about the center of the bead IE, because as the members H are raised from clamping position, the center of the bead is moved slightly inwardly of the frame by the contour of the members [4 bearing against the inner surface of the flange l2.

In order to provide for securely fixing the poster l5 into the frame, the rear frame member H is formed with forwardly extending tangs 22, which arestiiuchfrom the rea member L The lower sides of" the clamping members l4. are; formed with openings 23' which are adapted to fit over the tanks 22 to clamp the poster l5 thereon.

In the use and operation of this form of tackless display holder, the clamping members]; arei first moved to the forward or openpositioniwhere they are held by the springs 20; The poster i5 is then fitted into the frame bypiercing the edges of the poster on the tangs 22. The clamping members M are then closed and the openings 23 fit over the tangs 22 and the inner edge 18 bears against-the poster I 5 to clampthe poster securely thereon, while the springs 20 constantly urgethe members to a tight clamping position.

The exact configuration illustrated is regarded as the optimum, but some of the desirable results inherent in; this disclosure may be obtained by various slight modifications including some departure from the exact configuration shown, and itistherefore requested that the scope of the invention should be regarded as limited only by the terms of the claims.

What I desire to claim is:

1. A tacklessdisplayholder-comprising a backing member, a right angular peripheral flange about the edge of said backing member,- elongated'fi'at springs fixed at one end thereofto said backing member adjacent saidflange inwardly of the. edges ofsaid backing member, clamping members loose between said, springs and said flansesrabead along one edge of said clampingxnembers, sa.id Spring engaging over said bead tilliatably securing said clamping members between saidi springs and; said flanges, said bead being; irregular in cross section whereby said spring will bias said clamping member open in the open position and closed in the closed position thereof.

2. A tackless display holder comprising a backing member, a peripheral flange about said backing member, clamping members loosely supported on said backing member, a bead on one edge of said clamping members, fiat springs fixed at one end tosaidbacking member, the other end ofsaidisprings engageable over said head for clampingly securing said bead rotatably between said springs and said flange, said bead formed with an irregular contour engaging said spring whereby. said springs will bias said clamping members. o en in, the open position thereof and closed in the closed position thereof.

A tackless display holder comprising a rectangular backing member, a fixed peripheral flange about said backing member, clamping members loosely supported'on said backing memoer,- a reverted looped brad on one edge of said elampingmembers, fiat openings fixed at one end to said backing member, the free end of said springs engageable resiliently over said bead, said springs, peripheral flange and bead constituting the hinge of said clampingmembersfor rotatably securing said clamping members to said backing member, said bead formed with an irregular surface engaging said springs whereby said springs bias said clamping members open from the open position and closed from the closed position.

THEODORE ROGSEVELT THOMAS.

ItEFEBENCES CITE!) The iol owi e e eren s e of e r in t e file of this pa nt;

UNITED STA'I'ES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,315,196 Moorehous g Sept. 2, 1919 1,607,465; Kirk et al. Nov. 16, 1926 2,125,208 Thomas July-26, 1938 2,321.,7'30 Benson June 15, 1943 

